Lulak’s mandate was to bring Florentia to the class.
However, Clerivan’s suspicions were too big to follow orders without examining it himself.
A seven-year-old kid reading such a book.
That cold-hearted old man, does he become the mother of a hedgehog in front of his granddaughter? [1]
Clerivan’s thought, knocking on the door of the room used by Gallahan and Florentia.
As he walked inside with a surprise greeting from Gallahan, he found Florentia reading a book in one of the parlors.
As if he was seeing, she was reading <People of the South> on a green cover.
’She can’t really be reading.’
From the start, Clerivan didn’t believe Lulak’s words.
He had no intention of taking another seven-year-old who knew nothing and risking ruining the atmosphere of the class he had been struggling with.
He was thinking of convincing Lulak by confirming that today Florentia was just looking at the book as a picture book.
"Tia, come here."
At Gallahan’s call, Florentia walked over to the book.
Curly brown hair tied with a ribbon and white cheeks with a peculiar blushing appearance of a child were impressive.
But apart from that, Florentia still looked too young.
This was especially the case for sitting on her father’s lap.
But there is only one thing.
There was something that shook the heart of Clerivan, who was convinced.
It was a bright green eye that resembled her father, Gallahan.
How many seven-year-old children were facing each other with a smiling face without avoiding the eyes of an unfamiliar adult who was deliberately staring at them?
"Sure."
It was worth saying that Lulak saw this child and had his blood thick. Certainly, Florentia looked closer to the personality of his grandfather, Lulak, rather than his father, Gallahan.
But still a child.
Even if it might appear bold and bold in the future, it was a completely different story from the hypothesis that he had a genius brain to read and understand professional books at the age of seven.
But Clerivan’s thoughts shattered when he started talking to Florentia.
"I haven’t read a bit yet, but there are strange people are living in the woods south of my country. This is a book that tells stories about them."
The child was surprisingly grasping the contents of the book.
Someone may know this much.
Clerivan thought so, trying not to be shaken.
"What is the name of the author who wrote this book?"
"What was the content of Chapter 1?"
"The man named Lopili was telling how he got to hear rumors about the people of the south.
"Hmm...."
However, despite continuing questions, there was nothing more to say when Florentia responded unobstructedly.
Is it really that this child understands everything and reading properly?
Clerivan’s confusion did not end there.
"Lopili isn’t ’he’. It’s ’she’."
"Yes?"
"If you look at the page in front of the cover, it’s listed. The full name is Abane Lopili. She is a female scholar."
You’ve been pointed out by a young Florentia.
Although <People of the South> was a book I read a long time ago, it was a mistake that I did not know that the author and speaker Lopili was a woman.
It was the result of inadvertently thinking that it was men who published such famous research books.
Clerivan realized his fault in front of Florentia’s stupid eyes and blushed in embarrassment.
"You already read it?. You read it roughly?."
Eventually, I was even teased by a child.
At the moment when he thought that the smile was very familiar with only the corner of his mouth raised, Clerivan frowned.
This child really resembles My Lord.
Even the smiley face that turns the inside of that person upside down?
"Be sure to attend class starting on the 6th day of the next week."
However, Clerivan left Gallahan’s room and smiling.
"I had to change my job to be an educational teacher then officer. Let’s try a little more."
If it’s a child, it might taste a little to teach.
After a short period, he regained his motivation and hurried back to his office to prepare for the class.
* * *
"It’s been a long time since the sun has risen, so shall we go for a picnic in the garden?"
My father, who was having a leisurely afternoon, came up with an unexpected proposal.
"Let’s wrap a bunch of delicious cakes and cookies that Tia likes and get some sun. Oh, it would be nice to stop by Dr. O’Malley before that."
Aha.
My father’s intentions were seen at a glance. He thinks I don’t like going to the hospital, so he trying to twist it into a picnic full of delicious things.
It’s already been a week that Dr. O’Malley talked about it.+
I nodded, thinking that time was passing very quickly.
My father smiled wide and moved quickly before I changed my mind.
Seeing that a picnic basket had already been prepared, it seemed to have been planned.
There are some very cute things.
On the way, I took my father’s hand and headed to Dr. O’Malley’s hospital.
Dr. O’Malley and another person were in the drooling office.
"Uh?"
The blonde woman nodded while listening to this story, as if being instructed by the doctor, seemed to be in her early twenties and a half.
"Did you come?"
While Dr. O’Malley greeted me, my eyes didn’t fall from her.
When I asked my father who noticed my gaze, the woman responded with a thin voice whether she was surprised.
"Oh, this is Dr. O’Malley’s disciple, Estira."
It doesn’t look so timid.
I was surprised by the sudden situation that the son of Lulak was talking to.
"Now, then shall we look at the wrist?" Dr. O’Malley came to me with a smile.
However, I turned to my father’s arms and avoided the doctor’s touch.
"Tia?"
"Haha, the lady suddenly seems to be unfamiliar."
My father seemed embarrassed by my unscrupulous behavior.
"Why is Tia doing this? Is it because I’m scared?"1
I shook my head and said.
"That sister ...."
"Hmm? Say it again, Tia."
"That sister, please."
I mean, all three people were embarrassed.
It was also Dr. O’Malley who broke the awkward silence that had flowed for a while.
"Is she liked Estira?. Then today’s treatment is with Estira."
"Still ... ."
"Estira is an outstanding child among my students, so don’t worry. I’ll be with you. Is that okay, Miss Florentia?"
I nodded, walked up in front of Estira, and squeezed out my sore wrist.
"Oh, then, then for a moment......."
As if embarrassed, the red-faced Estira carefully unwrapped the bandage around my wrist.
How tense I was, I can see her fingertips trembling.
Sorry for making the situation this way, I spoke first to call attention.
"Sister’s name is Estira?"
"Yes, that’s right."
"My name is Florentia, and my dad’s name is Gallahan."
"Well, are you... ... ."
He works in Lombardy, so of course, you know our name.
However, it is not bad to introduce yourself once again.
So that Estira can remember us more clearly.
"What does sister learn from the doctor?"
"I am learning herbal medicine."
"Hey. So, are you trying to become a doctor too?"
"Yes, it’s still a long time away."
Perhaps because I was talking so well, Estira’s tension seemed to be even more relaxed.
"Since the swelling has subsided a lot, I think I can change the medicine, Master."
"Well, that’s right. Go get the sakos grass extract."
Dr. O’Malley’s words made me frown.
I wasn’t worried that I would use good medicine because I had no problem, but I was very worried about the taste.
Just as expected.
The light green liquid that Estira brought was very bitter at first glance.
"Eat this, Tia."
As if my father had been waiting, he handed out the cookies from the picnic basket.
I squeezed my hand in, pulled out three large cookies, and held them in one hand.
Gulp.
I swallowed the medicine that I used to make my whole body tremble, and quickly put the cookie in my mouth.
Then I served one of the two remaining cookies to Dr. O’Malley.
"Oh, thank you, Young lady!"
The doctor was greatly pleased and scooped the cookie into his mouth.
And the other one.
"Eat your’s sister."
Estira’s eyes widened by the cookie popped out in front of her.
"I, I"
"Because you healed me. It’s delicious."
Estira, who hesitated for a moment, finally accepted the cookie with both hands.
"So then shall we go?"
My father hugged me and said vigorously.
"Goodbye."
I greeted Dr. O’Malley while being held by my father’s arm.
In the distance, I saw Estira looking down at the cookie I gave her.
"Sister, hello!"
As I shouted, she was startled and bowed down towards me.
I kept waving my hand.
Next time, should I pick up the cookie and ask Estira to come.
I have to keep watching and get close to each other.
* * *
"Hhhh."
With my arms around the window, I was greeted by the cool breeze, so a humming song came out.
"You look good today. Are you excited about taking your first class tomorrow?"
Well, there are some like that.
As I looked at my father and laughed, he followed me and smiled.
Then he went back to what he was doing, and eagerly teases his hand and drew something.
I also looked out the window again.
As if the rain that kept falling until yesterday was a lie, the sky was clear.
The air felt even cleaner.
I greedily swallowed the blowing wind as if I was going to drink it all.
And at the end of that long breath, a wagon with a flag on top was seen entering the mansion.
I muttered a little, rolling up the tail of my mouth.
"Come."
______________________________________________
Glossary
[1] ’Mother of a hedgehog’ - hedgehog means a person regarded as being of a type that tends to see things in terms of a single, overarching viewpoint or philosophy. Also, the real hedgehog mother is overproud and overprotective of her baby.